Underground telegraph and telephone line



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1.

G. H. SEWALL. Underground Telegraph and Telephone Lines.

No. 239,560. Patented March 29,1881.

N. FIETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- o. H. SBWALL. Underground Telegraph and Telephone Lines.-

No. 239,560. Patented March 29,1881.4

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C. H. SE1/VALL, WM.' D; im

N. PETERS. PHOTO-l wmamnen. u/ASMmGYCJN D c (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

C. H. SEWALL.

Underground Telegraph and Telephone Lines. N0. 239,560. Patented IVIarCh 29, |881.

- Wz'zeSSeS, 17a/@72207;

RAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES H. SEWALL, OF ALBANY, NEV YORK.

UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,560, dated March 29, 1881 Application filed January 18, 1881.

Toalt whom tt may concern Be it kuownthat I, CHARLES H. SEWALL, ofthe city and county of Albany, and State of New York, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Subterranean Telegraph and rI elephone Lines, of which the following` is a specification.

My invention relates to iinlnoveineiits in underground telegraph or telephone lines, and the objects of my improvements are, tirst, to provide for use, in cities and other large and populous settlements, asuitable system of underground telegraphic and telephonie lines, connected at suitable intervals by means of vaults, wherein the work of connecting, running, repairing, and testing the wires can be accomplished without interrupting the travel through the streets beneath which the lines are laid; second, to constructthe conduits through which the cables or wires are drawn in such manner that theywill be properly protected frominjury by reason of pressure or moisture; third, to prevent the occurrence ot' inductive action between adjacent lines of parallel wires; and, fourth, to facilitate the work of running in the cables and wires through the openings in the subterranean conduits. rI hese objects I attain by means ofthe improved appliances and devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication, and inwhich- Figure l is a plan view of a portion of a city containing my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a street, showing the construction of my improved subterranean conduits; Fig. 3, an enlarged transverse section of my improved cable 5 Fiona, alongitudinal section yof a small vault containing a removable frame (No model.)

the ends ot' the conduits. Each is provided with y a covered manhole, b, as a means for gaining access to the vault. Each vault is also provided with a suspended switch-board, b', for formingconncctions between the dit't'erentlines ot' wires that enter the vault from all directions. Said switch-board is suspended from the roof of the vault, and is held in position by the stays b2 in such manner that free access can be had to all parts ot' said switch-board. By suspending the switchboard and holding it clear from the sides ot' the vault, as herein shown and described, it is keptclear from the moisture and dirt that collect on the side walls of a vault, which accumulation is productive et' much trouble by renderiu g the insulation of the conductors defective.

At the more remote points of the system of lines smallervaults, B', as shown in Fig. 4, may

f be employed, these latter, being` ot' insuiicient size for the accommodation of workmen, are provided with a frame, D, secured to the removable inner cover, D', of the vault. These smaller vaults are constructed with a casing, Z13, made of iron or other suitable material, and formed before it is placed in the ground. Said casing is provided with shoulders b4, or other suitable fixtures, for supporting the detachable inner cover, D', or roof thatis contained in the upper section ofthe vault, and beneath the outer cover, b5,- and suitable drains (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4) are provided for carrying oft' any moisture th at may enter the upper section of the vault. Conduit-entrances DG are formed on the sides of the casing b3, for receiving the terminal parts of the conduits. The

frame D is `provided with a series oi' spindles, d, geared together by the wheels d', and pro- IOO vided with spools d2, for containing the conducting-wires. Each spool is provided with a binding-post, 13,for connecting the ends of two sections of wire to form a continuous conductor, the two ends of the sections being wound on the spool whereon the connection is made. One of the spindles d has on its outer end a rope-drum, d4, on whichis wound ahand-rope, d5, that leads through the cover D into the upper section ofthe vault. By means of any proper hoisting appliance the cover D and its attached apparatus can be lifted out of the vault, as indicated by their dotted outlines in Fig. 4, and in raising them for that purpose the wires will be unwound from the spools d?, and thereby the hand-rope d5 will be wound onto the drum d4. In replacing the cover and its attachments the hand-rope d5 should be drawn through the cover D, so as rotate the drinn Pand rewind the wires upon the spools d2. Absorbin g-boXes E, for containinglime, salt, or other absorbents for moisture, should be placed in each vault for the purpose of absorbin g the moisture from the air in the vaults.

The conduits C are formed of blocks C', ot' earthenware or pottery, provided with an y required number of longitudinal apertures, preferably ot' circular form. Said blocks are provided at one end with annular projections c around the apertures, and at the opposite end with corresponding depressions to receive said projections, so as to form continuous lines of openin through the apertures. The conjoining ends ofthe blocks should be grouted with thin water-lime cement, to produce water-tight joints and prevent the entrance of moisture into the apertures. The blocks C are laid in trenches made beneath the pavements, and over them is placed a covering, c', of planks saturated with petroleum or other preservative material, that forms a support for the elastic cushions c2, formed by means ot' tarred bags filled with excelsior or other brous elastic material treated with petroleum or other preservative, and upon these cushions another covering, c3, ot' planks, also treated with petroleum, is laid. Over the central line of this upper covering a longitudinal ridge-piece, c4, is placed, for forming a support for the'center ot' the roong c5, that is formed by placing `dag-stones in inclined positions, so as to drain the water toward and beyond each side of the conduits, and to protect the conduits from injury from pickaxes and other tools in the hands of careless laborers while di ggin gup the streets. At each edge of the rootin g o5 a line of draintiles, c6, should be placed to receive the drainage, and at suitable intervals are located conducting-pipes c7, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2,) for carryingthe water from the draintiles to points below the line of conduits. rThrough each two oi' the adjacent longitudinal apertures in the conduits an endless rope, e8, is drawn, one part of the rope passing through each aperture, for the purpose of drawing in either cables or wires through said conduits.

The cables F are composed oi1 the following parts: A core, f, of hemp or other fibrous material, is coated with tar and covered with a corrugated cylinder, f', composed ot' one or more thicknesses ot' sheet-lead or any other non-magnetic metal. This corrugated cylinder is covered by a cylindrical wrapper, f2, of

non-magnetic met-al, preferably sheet-lead, and.

in this manner a number of longitudinal passages are formed in the metallic covering, each being for the reception of a separate wire, f3, which wires maybeplacedin position inthe corru gations before the outer metallicwrap pin g, f 2, is put on, or they may be drawn in alterward. At frequent intervals perfect electrical connections should be made between the outer covering, f2, and the earth, for the purpose of completing the neutralizing-circuits formed by the metallic envelopes f and f2 and the earth. To strengthen the outer metallic coverin g, f2, and to protect it fromv injury, an outer jacket, f4, of woven material or any textile fabric, is either knit or sewed around it.

By constructing a cable with separate longitudinal passages, as herein described, in addition to its advantage in preventing inductive action, as above set forth, it also aiiords facilities for the introduction ot' new wires, either originally or in the place of broken and defective ones. In replacing defective wires the new wire can be attached to the old one, and then, by drawing out the latter, the new one will be drawn in to take its place. To introduce new wires into vacant openings, a strong magnet should be attached to the endless rope c, and a piece ot' sott iron, ot' proper size and form to pass through the longitudinal passages of the cable, secured to the end ot` the incoming wire, or to a piece of light strong cord, for drawing in the wire. Then, by drawing the magnet along lengthwise ot' the cable, the soft iron and its attachment will be drawn through the opening into which it was introduced.

For the purpose of forming communications between the line of conduits and the adjacent buildings, or for any purpose where one or more lines of cables may be used, I provide the pipes G, as shown in Figs. S and 9, made of pottery or other suitable material. Said pipes are provided with inner flanges to form the shoulders g, that are separated from each other by a longitudinal opening, and are provided with indentations to form projections on their edges, for supporting the cable F in such manner that any moisture that may gather on the cable will fall through the longitudinal opening between the shoulders, and be conveyed away through that portion of the pipe that lies beneath them; and for the purpose of facilitating the drainage the pipes should be inclined, so as to throw the water toward the buildings, where it may be carried oi' by the sewers. The pipes G are connected to the IOO IOS

conduits C by means of small vaults, B2,placed y in the middle of a block, and by this means a number of wires may be taken into the cellar of one building, and from thence the several Wires may be run inside of adjoining buildings to radiate to a number of buildings in the same block Without exposing any of said Wires.

I claim as my invention- 1. In the construction of conduits for underground-telegraph lines, the combination, with the conduit-blocks C', of the elastic cushion c2, arranged in relation to the said blocks as herein specified.

2. ln conduits for underground-telegraph lines, the combination, with the conduit-blocks s C', ol' the elastic cushion c2 and rooting c5, ar-

ranged as and for the purpose specified.

3. The vault B, provided with a suspended switch-board, b', held by means of stays b2 from the Walls of the vaultin such manner that every part thereof will he accessible, and the accumula-tion thereon of dirt and moisture will be prevented, as herein specified.

4. As an improvement in vaults for telegraph or telephonelines, aremovable frame, l), or other device for containing the connections ofthe sections of Wires of continuous lines, whereby the said connections may be removed from the vault for examination and manipula tion, as herein specified.

5. The removable frame D, provided with spindles d, spools d2, and rope-drum di, thelatter being provided with a hand-rope, d5, for rotating the spindles, as and for the purpose specied.

6. A lllerible cable for telegraph and telephone lines, constructed with a series ot' separated longitudinal passages, each of said passages being adapted to contain a separate independent and removable coiulucting-wire, as herein specilied.

7. A cable or other conducting-wire holding device composed of a flexible core, a metallic 4o inner covering, provided with longitudinal corru gations, and a metallic outer covering, Wherehy a series oflongitudinal passages surrouiided by non-magnetic metal are formed through said cable, for the reception of separate and detachable conducting-wires, as and for the -purpose herein specified.

8. As an improvement in telegraph and telephone lilies, a conducting-Wire holder composed of a section of corrugated metal, having 5o an outer metallic casing arranged in relation to said corrugations to produce longitudinal passages for the reception of separate conducting-wires, in such manner that each wire will he enveloped by non-magnetic metal, said longitudinal passages being ofsut'iicient capacity to permit the introduction or removal of any of said wires without disturbance to any ofthe adjacent wires, as herein specified.

9. As an improved conduit for telegraph or 6oA CHARLES H. SE WALL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. Low, E. F. BENHAM. 

